Red Rose's Thorns
by MitsugixLunarxMage
Summary: Everybody knows that roses have thorns. Some are more painful then others though. So what happens when a certain Beacon student rediscovers hers? And why does it seem like she's missing something? (Rated T for future chapters)
1. Chapter 1

**Red Rose's Thorns**

**A/N: Hey guys! Guess who's back! Yep it's this person right here! I'm sorry for not updating **_**Secrets**_**. I'm planning on editing it before I add new chapters. So while I'm doing that, why not start a RWBY fanfiction? Anyways, I don't own RWBY. So yea, let's ****get started**

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_~Red like Roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest~_

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"Ruby. Hurry up! We'll be late, again!" a voice scoffed in annoyance. "I'm coming Weiss. Just calm down," another voice calmly stated.

A girl with black hair and red tips ran out, her hooded cape flapping behind her as she approached her team. A girl dressed in a white frilly dress had her arms crossed, a deep scowl on her face. Behind her were two others. One had dark raven black hair and bright golden eyes. The other one was blonde with soft light purple eyes. Both were quite indifferent throughout the whole ordeal, well at least one was the other had a fierce look in her eyes.

"Alright, guys. Let's go," Ruby smiled, blocking out Weiss. "Thought you'd never say so little sis," the blonde chuckled with her hands behind her head. The golden-eyed fauna nodded absently, eyes set into a book she was reading. Ruby smiled and led the way to their destination. Meanwhile, dark silhouette watched to girls in the distance, carefully tailing them.

"What's the status?" a voice spoke from the earpiece. "The target has shown no signs as of yet sir," the figure reported in a low whisper, keeping attention away from themselves. Blake's bow twitched a bit as she swore she heard a low voice.

"Hey Blake, what's wrong?" The girl in red turned towards the girl in black. Blake turned towards the group and shook her head. "Thought I heard something. Most likely my imagination" she gave a reassuring smile. Doubt flashed through Ruby's silver eyes so fast it seemed like it wasn't there at all. "Well, let's continue." Ruby sighed and began to walk with the group.

* * *

~Time Skip~

The team soon found themselves in the cold, icy winds of the snowy forest, their snow tracks becoming hidden all to quickly. They tread through the forest, the snow crunching under their feet. They heard a chorus of growls and quickly turned around. Beowolves circled the girls with vicious snarls.

Ruby felt a sense of nostalgia, as if she had seen this before. She gripped Crescent Rose harder as they approached. Usually she wasn't so tense, but for some reason, she was on edge. Yang noticed this and gave her hooded sister a worried glance as she powered up Ember Cecilia.

The Grimm began to attack, roaring loudly. Weiss air-stepped above them before covering half of the wolves in a thick layer of ice. Yang sent a punch, killing the Beowolves in the process. Ruby and Blake were back to back as the fought the Grimm. Suddenly, one scratched Blake, drawing a bit of blood. Ruby froze for some reason. Her stomach did flips.

Why was she acting like this? It's just blood. She shouldn't be scared. But she was. She heard footsteps approach her as she was yanked back. "What the heck was that?" Weiss asked. "I don't know. But we need to go" Ruby sighed.

They began walking again, Blake hearing the distant sound of movement again. That's when Ruby caught sight of a cliff. Her eyes went from shining silver to a hazy gray. Her black boots dragged through the snow drawing her team's attention. "Ruby?" Yang called to her sister. Ruby continued to walk towards the cliff and froze abruptly. The team gave each other worried glances and followed the girl. They saw her body tremble as she stared at the ground. Following where she was looking, they saw the grave with the inscription "Summer Rose. To which I kindly scatter"Blake read out loud. "Ruby what is this" Yang asked, receiving no reply. "Ruby now isn't the time to be sight-seeing. We have to go," Weiss quickly scolded a silent Ruby."Ruby?" Blake inched towards the girl carefully.

Ruby's previously downcast face was now looking past the cliff, entranced in something. The Faunus followed the girl's distant gaze, taken back by the sudden figure in a white cloak. It was much like Ruby's except for the red on the inside.

The shadowy figure moved towards Ruby and gently brushed her forehead. A blinding light suddenly came and went in less than a second, making everyone shield their eyes. When everyone opened their eyes, Ruby was unconscious. Her hood was slightly off of her head as her body shook. Her face was scrunched up, like she was having a nightmare. "Ruby? Ruby! Wake up!" They yelled worriedly, to no avail.

* * *

She felt cold. As if she had been in the freezer for way to long. Ruby opened her light gray eyes and sat up. She was welcomed with the sight of a small house. Curiosity getting the best of her, she went inside. A small child was curled up next to her mother. The mother had her arms wrapped protectively around the child.  
"This seems so familiar. Where have I seen this before," Ruby thought as she watched the mom cradle her child. The girl had reddish black hair and pale skin. Ruby's eye's widened in recognition.

This was a memory.

This was _her_ memory.

She knew what would happen next and closed her eyes. She heard the door burst open and covered her ears, remembering the sound all to she opened them, the house was dark and abandoned. The body of her mother was motionless on the ground, a pool of blood surrounding her. The dead Beowolves lay sliced on the ground. "No... NO," Ruby crawled back into a corner, eyes wide in horror. Why did she remember this? Wait. Where was her child self? The room flashed again and Ruby shielded her eyes.

When she opened them again she felt weak. Her head was spinning and her muscles ached. She groaned in pain."Ruby can you hear me?" Professor Ozpin's voice echoed blurrily. "Where am I?" Ruby asked. "You're at the school. Your team had you brought back before they completed the assignment." She hummed in understanding.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Ozpin asked, sipping his cup of coffee. "We were traveling through the snowy forest when we were attacked by Beowolves. It took us a while to beat them but we did. While we were walking again, everything just went blank. That's all I remember." Ruby half-lied hoping he bought it."Interesting. It reminds me of a legend of a woman who died years ago near those mountains." Ozpin smirked nonchalantly. Ruby tilted her head in curiosity, as if telling him to go on. "It is quite an interesting legend. Long ago, near the forest you just mentioned, there was a woman. She lived at the top of the mountain with her husband, who she treasured very much. They loved each other very much, which in turn allowed the woman to become pregnant. The couple was overjoyed. But one day, the husband had gone to get some wood, due to the blizzard making the house they lived in much colder. But he never came back. It was only when the woman found his body did she find out he died. Two weeks after his death, the baby girl was born. Her hair was black with a reddish tint to it and her skin was as pale as the snow. The woman took care of the child until the child was at least five years of age. But unfortunately, Beowolves found the woman's house. The woman sent the child away as she fended off the Beowolves but she did not make it. Just like her husband, she died. They say the child of the woman was also killed that night, but I believe differently. And judging from the look in your eyes, you believe me too, don't you Ruby" Ozpin took another sip of his coffee before gazing at the girl before him.

"T-There's no way a five year old could survive the freezing cold! Especially with no food and water..." Ruby stuttered. "Well sometimes, miracles do come true. So it's quite possible this child could have survived", Ozpin smiled mysteriously. He stood up and grabbed his cane. "Well I best be going now. I have much work to be done. I suggest you refrain from going on any assignments for a while Miss Rose. If you need anything, just come to my office." He smiled and walked out of the room.

Ruby was dumbfounded. Why couldn't she remember anything? What is going on? Did Professor Ozpin know something about herself that she didn't even know? All she had was questions. But she didn't have any answers to them. Quite frankly, all of this were making her head hurt.

The door suddenly burst open. Yang was panting heavily before she flung herself onto Ruby. "Sis. Thank god you're ok! What happened back there?" Yang hugged her adoptive sister tightly. "Yang, can't breathe," Ruby gasped as Yang let go. "Anyway. I don't know what happened. One minute we're walking the next minute everything is blank," Ruby sighed. "Maybe you're getting sick? But you rarely ever get sick," Yang muttered to herself as Weiss and Blake, followed by Team JNPR entered.

"Ruby!" they all cheered. "We heard what happened. Are you ok?" Jaune and Pyrrha asked.  
Ruby nodded and gave a slight smile. "I'm fine. Can you guys not shout? My head hurts." She asked politely. They nodded and apologized. "Ruby, are you sure you aren't getting sick?" Yang asked worriedly.

"I'm not. I'm probably just tired. I'm probably going to relax for about a couple of days, just to take a breather you know?" Ruby smiled at the blonde girl and yawned. "Right. We should let you sleep. Come on girls. We have a big day ahead of us." Weiss stood up and stretched. "Us too. Goodnight," Ren yawned and walked out of the door with his team.

The rest of Team RWBY bid the girl goodnight. "Take care of yourself Ruby," Weiss sighed. Ruby nodded and lay down on the bed. She felt her eyes become heavy in exhaustion before she closed them, not able to stay awake any more.

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**A/N: Well how was it? Good? Bad? Please give me some feedback in the reviews! It would help a ton**!


	2. Chapter 2

**Red Rose's Thorns (2)**

**A/N: Thank you to all who reviewed, favorited, and followed! It means so much to me! Quite honestly, I'm taking every review into consideration, so if there is anything you guys don't like or any errors then I'll fix them as soon as possible. Anyway, I don't own RWBY; so let's get this show on the road. Enjoy!**

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_~White is cold and always yearning, burdened by the royal test~_

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White. That's all she saw. It's always been white. Not green or brown like how some places were. Everything was just white. No matter where she went. Any other color stuck out like a sore thumb.

Right now, this applied to her.

The small 5 year old was not cloaked in white. Instead she was cloaked in red, which made her an easy target. She couldn't forget the urgency in her mother's usually calm tone. She also couldn't forget the Beowolves staring hungrily at them.

Both had scared her senseless and she knew that no matter what, nothing was getting out of that house didn't know where she was going. Everything looked the same.

All of the trees were covered in ice. The ground was covered in snow, and not an inch was unscathed. She knew there was nowhere to hide. Even if she did take off her cloak and risk freezing, she'd still be an easy target to find.

So she kept running.

She didn't stop until she couldn't even feel her feet. Even then, she kept eyes were blurry with tears. She could hear her stomach growling loudly for the umpteenth time. She could even feel her small figure sway a little in fatigue.

She knew the Beowolves had long since been defeated, but she just couldn't stop running. Was she running away from the possibility- no- fact that her mother was dead? Or maybe she had subconsciously always wanted to leave the confines of the house?

She didn't know. All she knew was that she couldn't in mind, she continued to run despite the burning of her lungs.

She fell forward after a while, her small feet giving out on her. Her eyes were hazy as her skin flushed. She had no energy left to move a single muscle. As something picked her up by her red cloak, she began to feel warmth flow down her cheeks.

She didn't even acknowledge that she was crying again.

"Come on Ruby! You have to fight," she screamed at herself. But every move she made her muscles would scream in pain.

So she gave let the darkness take her in fully as she expected her death.

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Ruby opened the massive doors to the library. Her team was on yet another assignment while she relaxed. And although she appreciated Team JNPR's efforts to keep her occupied, she just had to do something. Plus she had had another one. The memories just wouldn't stop coming. Each one of them didn't make any sense no matter how many times she thought about it.

Plus, the story Ozpin had told her just made everything even more confusing. As she walked down the L section, she could've sworn she saw something. She continued her walk down the L section but couldn't find any books. "Odd," she mumbled and continued to search. It wasn't until she reached the R section did she find something. The book had a pure white hardcover with the same rose that she adorned. It didn't have a title, or an author's name.

Ruby grabbed the book and brought it to a random table. She found it strange how the book didn't have a title. All it had was the rose pattern. The book itself was fairly sized but it wasn't anything Ruby couldn't handle. She opened the book to the first page and was met with a picture of a group. Each one of them had hoods just like her and all of them had their faces covered. "That's weird," Ruby mumbled as she turned the page.

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_Long ago, in the time of mankind's war with the Grimm, there was a single soldier who had outlived his squad. He had warned them that it was time to retreat, but to no avail. His team was then seized by the Ursas, leaving only him to escape. He continued his escape, avoiding the route they took earlier. Along the path, he spotted a bush of roses, each one looking extremely healthy. He inched closer towards the bushel and spotted another one adjacent to it. Soon, he discovered an entirely different path and began to follow it, picking one rose from every bush. He had two bouquets worth of roses until the trail stopped._

_ He looked up and caught glance of a woman. She was cloaked in pure white. Her sobs echoed throughout the forest, making the man vaguely wonder why she hadn't been attacked yet. He asked the woman what was wrong, to which she replied in broken sobs. Glancing at his bushel of roses, he gave them to the woman and went back down the previous path._

_Later that week, that same soldier was fighting a horde of Grimm. Although, they had been winning at first, they were no outnumbered. Corpses of murdered soldiers littered the ground as the Grimm surrounded him. Just as he was about to say his last words, there was a flash. A familiar white cloak billowed in front of him. Red roses petals were floating off of it in the wind. "You…" the soldier pointed out. The woman smiled. _

_"Yes it is I. I have come here because I heard your silent plea for help. This is my way of saying congratulations. You passed the test." The man was confused. "I can see your confusion. I shall explain. You see. I am actually a spirit. I died ages ago. I had seen the selfishness of humans and decided to test them. So I opened up a path of roses and acted as if I were a grieving woman waiting for her lover. The objective was to find someone good hearted. If there were none, humanity itself would be wiped out. But if one had passed, I would reward that one so as to help spread such good heartedness throughout generations to come."_

_The man's eyes widened in shock and understanding. The woman summoned a double-edged sword and disappeared. The man blinked, not noticing the number of Grimm disappearing. With one last blink, all of the Grimm was gone. Only the spirit remained amongst the field of carcasses. "For your kindness, I give you this gift. This locket will protect you and your descendants as long as it is in your possession. Should it fall into anyone else's hands, it shall be rendered useless. But in return, your descendant must bear my mark," and with that she disintegrated into rose petals._

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Ruby's eyes widened as she spotted the picture of the symbol. It was the same mark she wore. Her eyes continued to scan the did not see a figure approaching her. Just as the figure was about to touch Ruby, the door opened with a loud squeak. Glynda Goodwitch entered the library and was quite surprised to see Ruby. "Well, good morning Miss Rose," she greeted. Ruby did not answer as she continued to read. "I said good morning Miss Rose," she repeated with the same silence to answer her. "Miss Rose!" she called. Ruby jumped at the harsh call of her name. "Ahh Ms. Goodwitch, good morning," Ruby laughed awkwardly. "Might I ask what has you so occupied that you don't even answer me the first time?" Glynda inquired.

"Right. Well, Professor Ozpin told me a legend and I was researching it. The legend was so interesting that I didn't hear you?" it was more of a question than a statement. "Well then, carry on Miss Rose," the blond huntress began to walk away. Ruby sighed in relief as her shoulders relaxed.

She grabbed the book and ran out of the library; unaware of the glare she received. "Ruby Rose, just wait. Once you're all alone, you won't know what hit you," a voice growled darkly as Glynda watched from a distance. "So that's what they're planning? I'll have to alert Professor Ozpin right away," the huntress disappeared down the hallway.

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**A/N: So how was this chapter? I really want to receive some great feedback like last time. Please remember to leave a review please. I might not be able to update this weekend since I have to help with AWA this weekend in my hometown. I'll try to update but I make no promises. Until then Ciao! **

–**MitsugixLunarxMage**


	3. Chapter 3

**Red Rose's Thorns (3)**

**A/N: Thanks again for the positive feedback I've received so far! You guys are my motivation to continue on with this story. So thanks to all of you c': Anyways, I do not own RWBY (if you didn't already know c;) Let's get started!**

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_~Black the beast descends from shadows~_

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When, the then young, Ruby opened her eyes, all she could see was darkness. She felt hot yet she was shivering. She had just then registered the thick blanket wrapped swaddling her. Was she in someone's home? If so then who was it? How did he, or she, find her? What was going to happen to her? She suddenly heard the creak of the door and quickly looked in that direction, regretting the action. "Who are you? Where am I?" her hoarse voice squeezed out. "Worry not little one. I am a friend. I won't hurt you," the voice soothed her. She couldn't see anything. All she could do was hear and surrender to the voice. It reminded her of her mother. "Just rest. It will help get rid of your fever," the voice lulled her to sleep.

Fever? Since when did she have a fever? Ruby was too tired to protest as she was set down on a pillow. "I will return with some food and your medicine later. Until then…" was all she remembered hearing. "Sweet Dreams, little rose," she thought she heard but brushed it off as she succumbed to sleep.

When she woke up she felt a bit better but not much. "It is time to eat," the voice from earlier chimed. She felt a gentle hand help her sit up as she struggled to open her eyes. Black hair. That's all she could make out. She felt something warm slide down her throat as she hummed in appreciation. The voice released a light airy giggle. "Who are you?" the small sick girl coughed. "You will know me in time, little one. Just take your medicine for now." The silhouette shoved a small spoon of orange liquid into the girl's mouth. Ruby gagged at the disgusting taste as she swallowed it.

A small glass of water was handed to her as she hacked. Ruby greedily gulped down to cup of liquid and sighed in relief. She could feel drowsiness hit her again as she rubbed her eyes. "It is time to sleep again. Sweet Dreams," the voice whispered as Ruby felt something press up against her forehead. Her eyes drooped as she heard the door close quietly and sleep took over.

* * *

Professor Ozpin watched as Ruby dashed to class yet again. This had been the third time this week. He had noticed some slight changes in the pintsized leader's demeanor. She was quieter and she was in deep thought an awful lot. She also seemed a lot tenser than usual, jumping at loud sudden noises. He could see the worry in her team's faces.

"Professor, they're on the move again. When do you think they'll try and capture?" the blond huntress inquired. "I'm not sure when exactly, but it's safe to say that it won't be long." Ozpin took a sip from his mug. "Should I summon Qrow?"

"Not yet. It's too early for that." Ozpin shook his head. "What do you propose we do?" Glynda gripped her spell book tightly. "Continue to monitor her. Make sure she is not alone. If anything happens her safety is top priority," Ozpin ordered. "Should she fall into the enemy's hands, the results could be catastrophic," Glynda nodded firmly and walked away. _What are you planning?_

* * *

Roman growled into his cigar. What was taking so long? It was just a simple retrieval mission. How hard is it the catch a kid? "When is that guy you hired going to arrive? I can't wait forever Torchwick," a deep growl echoed. "Oh calm it Faunus" Roman retorted. "We may be siding with each other just this once but that does not mean that I have to be nice to the likes of you" The faunus growled, glowing a bright red. "Geez what got your panties in a bunch?" Roman taunted with a smirk. "Watch your mouth before you lose it, human" the Faunus growled in disgust. There was a fiery blaze that quickly separated the two.

"Now, now boys. No need in fighting. Right now we need to focus on capturing that Rose girl and obtaining _that_ power. Afterwards you can kill each other however you want, understood?" piercing yellow eyes peered from the shadowy corner. The two males glared at each other and nodded with a huff. "This isn't over," they silently agreed.

"Now how is our little spy doing?" a woman with pitch-black hair and a red dress sauntered out o f the dark corner. "So far, no success. It seems like the Beacon Staff know of our presence. They've got that girl on watch." Roman groaned. "Which is why you should have let a Faunus tailed her!" Adam growled, his brown ears twitching slightly. "We could smell her from miles away. Beacon wouldn't see a single thing," Adam quickly added.

"But what about the Faunus there? Especially that one on _her_ team. What was her name? Blake Belladonna?" Roman smirked as Adam tensed at the name. "Oh I'm sorry. You two had some sort of past together, right? I had no idea," the red head feigned innocence. Adam grit his teeth and clenched his fists. Just as he was about to strike another fiery wall obscured his path. "No fighting. Now I propose we pay Beacon a little visit. The sooner we grab the girl the quicker you two can get to hate each other again. But for now, play nice." The males sighed and nodded. The woman smirked and turned around.

"You. Tell everyone to prepare for anything. We're going to Beacon Academy," she ordered the guard who nodded sharply. "Yes Miss Scarlett." The guard left the room in one fluid motion. "You two get ready as well. We don't need either one of you injured. Oh and Roman, should this mission fail, it'll be on your head. Remember that," Scarlett sauntered out of the room. Roman blew out some cigar smoke and groaned. "You heard her Torchwick. Better not screw up," Adam also disappeared from the room. "Damn woman. Damn Faunus. Damn girl." He grumbled under his breath as he stomped on what was left of his cigar and left the room also. Everything just had to be_ his_ fault.

* * *

Everybody (meaning Team JNPR and Team RWBY) watched, as the red- cloaked teen was yet again lost in space. Her face was contorted into a serious expression as she aimlessly played with her food. She was oblivious to Nora's poking, Weiss' calls, and Yang waving her hand in her face. She was so deep in thought, she wouldn't even notice if a rock hit her in the head. The young girl was as silent as the black haired Faunus next to her.

Just as Ruby's friends were about to give it another go, a fight broke out. Their gazes switched over to the source of the ruckus. Cardin Winchester stood with his bulky arms crossed and a smug smirk on his face. Across from him was a student none of them had seen before. He was obviously a Faunus, his white wolf ears peeking out from his messy hair. His eyes were an icy blue as he stared at the brown haired student. "I'm sick and tired of your bullying Winchester!" the boy growled as Cardin yawned. "Well what are you going to do about it?" he taunted. The mystery boy pounced, two bladed tonfas coming out of their holsters. Cardin dodged the sudden attack but was quickly caught off- guard as the boy swept his leg under the bully's feet. Cardin began to fall back but quickly regained his balance as the Faunus charged again.

They continued to clash, remnants of tables flying through the air as they fought. The kid suddenly knocked Cardin towards a certain petite girl. Her team members could only stare in horror as the bulky teen headed straight for the girl. "Ruby, watch out," Yang's voice fell into a gasp as she gaped in shock. Somehow, Ruby had quickly evaded the flying jock and was now perfectly balanced on his limp body. Rose petals floated down softly as Ruby suddenly snapped out of her thoughts.

"How did you…" Yang twitched as she spotted Ruby's look of confusion. Something weird was going on with that girl. Ever since they got back from those snowy mountains, she'd been acting strange. It freaked the blonde out immensely. "So COOL!" Nora zipped up towards the girl with a huge smile, bombarding her wit random questions. Meanwhile, Yang, Weiss, and Blake exchanged the same worried look. Something wasn't right here. And it definitely has something to do with their leader…

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**A/N: I'm so sorry for the late update! I'm not going to give you guys any excuses. All I ask is that you review. Reviews help a lot. Please? Thank you! Love you guys! Until next time ~MitsugixLunarxMage**


	4. Chapter 4

**Red Like Roses (4)**

**A/N: Guten Tag, ladies and gentle- turtles. I would like to take this moment to thank each and every one of you who have followed, favorited, and reviewed this story. It means so much to me and let's me know that you enjoyed this story. Thank you all so much ;u; Anywhore, let's get on with the story, no?**

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_~Yellow beauty burns gold~_

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Ruby, now 6 years old, watched as her guardian moved around the kitchen. A bright smile was on her face at the thought of the woman's cooking. It had been a little over a year since she had been found and rescued by this woman. She had pretty yellow hair and soft caramel eyes. Her skin was a fair but not pale. She gave off a motherly vibe that instantly made the young girl attracted to her. "Is it ready yet?" Ruby bounced in her seat. She heard the soft ringing of the woman's laugh. "Not yet little one. It is almost ready. Why don't you go play outside while it cooks?" the lady suggested with a soft smile. Ruby nodded and slid out of her chair. The young girl was about to go get ready when she heard a firm knock on the door.

The woman came out of the kitchen and opened the door cautiously. "Qrow!" she laughed hugging the man firmly. Ruby gave the man a strange look. She had not seen him before. How did he know her new guardian? Who exactly was he? "This must be that little girl you talked about," he chuckled warmly. Ruby clutched on to the long dark green skirt of her "adoptive" mom. "I have to talk to you," Qrow sighed with a crestfallen expression. The woman nodded and shooed off Ruby. At first the small girl was against the idea completely until she received a pleading look.

Reluctantly, Ruby unhanded the fabric and walked into another room that housed hand- made dolls, showing signs of wear and tear. She aimlessly played with them, her mind too filled with curiosity and wonder to really pay attention. She didn't bother to register to soft click of the door as her caretaker walked in. "Ruby," the blonde woman started with a thick swallow as she tried to mask her pained expression.

Ruby stared with confused silver eyes. "Ruby, my dear, I love you as if your were my own. You are the best daughter I could have asked for but now it is time that we must be separated." The words had thrown her into more confusion but she still felt the same hurt. Had she done something wrong? Was she just not wanted anymore? Tears bubbled at the corners of her eyes as her lips pursed. "Little one, it is for your own good. This forest is not safe for such a small child. So, Qrow has decided to take you in and train you until you can take care of yourself." The woman let out a shaky sigh. "But in order for you to reach your full potential, you must forget about everything that has happened in the past 4 years, including that of your birth mother."

Tears spilled continuously down the child's cheeks. She didn't want to forget. She didn't want to leave. She felt a hand press up against her forehead and the soft whisper of an apology before she blacked out.

* * *

Ruby walked down the hall with a sharp click of her heels against the tiled floor. Her blood red cape fluttered behind her in her quick stride. Her usually happy, cheerful face was contorted into that of determination. So much so that students parted the hallways for the pint-sized HCSS wielder. Not too far behind her, Jaune quietly followed, worried about his first friend since arriving to Beacon. He wasn't used to the all too serious look and vibe that the girl gave off nowadays and was obviously worried. It was clear that she was hiding something. Whenever she would try and hide something her hand makes the slightest twitch and she starts getting nervous, as he had discovered during their time at the school.

Jaune being Jaune, he couldn't continue to watch as Ruby troubled herself with some kind of conflict. It just didn't seem right. After all, she had been there to save his butt more times than he could count, at least when Pyrrha wasn't around to do that simple task for her. She was the first and only person to talk to him, considering the fact that they were both late to class, the first day of school. She was the one who gave him advice when he was questioning his worth of his leadership status. If anything, he felt that it was only right to try and return the favor. So, the blond swallowed up his nerves and caught up to the girl, tapping her on the shoulder.

Ruby jumped slightly as she was once again ripped from her thoughts. Her silver eyes met with deep blue ones. "Oh hey Jaune, what's up," she asked nervously, knowing that she was practically screaming she was hiding something. Jaune gave a friendly smile. "Are you ok Ruby? You're a bit tense. Something you need to talk about?" he pressed cautiously, not wanting to end up on the other side of Crescent Rose.

Ruby hesitated for a second, biting the inside of her lip. Could she really tell Jaune what's been eating her up? One part of her mind screamed at her for even asking such a foolish question. This was Jaune Arc! Her best friend! Of course she could tell him! But then there was the other part of her mind. The part that told her to trust no one but those who already know. She decided to go with the trustworthy part of her mind and grabbed Jaune's arm. "Can we go talk in private? I don't want anybody else knowing about this other than those who already know…" Ruby sighed.

Jaune was taken back. What was so bad that she didn't want anyone else knowing? The blond had a feeling it had something to do with that mission in the mountains she had, but pushed the thought away. He silently watched as the girl peaked carefully around back hallways and openings to balconies. Deciding the coast was clear she leaned against the wall with her arms closed.

"I haven't told anyone about any of this yet so I expect you to do the same Jaune. The only people who know are Professor Ozpin, Ms. Goodwitch, and my Uncle Qrow I believe…" she started off, her voice in a hushed tone. She began to explain the situation, which included how Ozpin knew about her birth; the sudden appearance of locked away memories, the weird book she found in the library with her insignia on it, and the confusion that went along with it. She also couldn't help but express the slight fear of the unknown that she withheld.

The blond boy just listened silently to his friend's confession, suddenly understanding her peculiar behavior lately. She finished her explanation feeling suddenly lighter. "Promise me you won't tell anyone? I was going to confront Ozpin about it and hope that he let me go back to the snowy mountains to get some kind of clue," Ruby sighed. "I won't tell. But you have to at least let me help. I want to assist you in any way I can Ruby," Jaune gave as serious look. Ruby looked as if she wanted to protest but quickly settled for nodding silently.

Jaune smiled contentedly before a loud explosion went off. Suddenly, Ozpin's face appeared on the TV screen with a grave expression. "We have been breached. All students prepare for battle if necessary. But until given further instruction report to your dormitories immediately" He warned. The two teens looked confused but did as they were told, rushing off to their dorms. "Search this wing while the others search the other one. The brat has got to be here somewhere," a strong feminine hiss ordered. Jaune and Ruby stopped abruptly and looked for an escape route.

As Ruby frantically searched, her eyes landed on a duct, large enough for Jaune to fit and for them to stay hidden. She alerted her tall friend, who nodded and began to silently crawl into the shoot behind her. They crawled as quickly and quietly as possible, trying not to attract any attention to them. Both teens let out a sigh of relief as soon as they had gotten far enough. They continued to search for the way towards the dorms until the intercom came on.

"Students prepare to fight. I repeat be prepared to fight." This time it was Glynda's voice. Jaune and Ruby sent each shocked looks as they heard the familiar sounds of their teammates. They followed the sound and hopped out of the duct quickly. "Guys? Where have you two been? Why did you two fall out of the vents?" Yang asked surprised. "Long story. Anyway, you heard the announcement right?" Ruby brushed off quickly grabbing her beloved scythe. "Yes we did. Let's go,"Weiss ran out of the door as the others followed.

* * *

Roman and Scarlet smirked as they spotted their target. She was currently taking down a large group of their men. She was in plain sight, at least from where they were. Adam stood with a slightly troubled expression, as if he didn't really want to do this. "Grab her," Scarlet ordered as the two men deployed. A blast shot them down before they could get far. "Not on our watch,"A stern voice growled. Out from the shadows, two figures appeared. Blake and Yang growled at their opponents. Adam flinched slightly at the sight of Blake as Yang smirked sadistically at Roman. "You aren't getting anywhere near my sister," the blonde powered up her weapon, Ember Cecelia. Blake gripped Gambol Shroud tightly.

As the two girls attacked, Scarlet drew a bright shield at an oncoming attack. "Nice try," she smirked darkly. The blonde huntress was not shocked but did show signs of slight worry. It wasn't like she didn't trust the students. She knew just as well as the other teachers and Ozpin himself that these students were more than capable of handling things. She knew that they would die before they let anyone get to the true reason for this attack. But she was scared that either they would die protecting the target or the target would get captured because they were missing something. She pushed back her worry and pulled out her spell book. Sending a slight glance towards the girls, she charged towards the black haired sorceress.

* * *

Ruby set off another set of rounds towards the enemy's henchmen. She was glad she restocked her ammunition earlier this week as she emptied yet another one. Suddenly a sharp pain shot up her collar bone as she suddenly feel. Crescent Rose slipped from her grasp in the process as numbness washed over her. Her eyes were wide in surprise.

She couldn't even move.

Ruby felt her heavy muscles refuse to move as the grunt approached her. "Target acquired," the lackey smirked in satisfaction. Ruby squeezed her eyes closed, ready for her capture. Her eyes went hazy again, catching the attention of the grunt. She suddenly disappeared along with Crescent Rose, only to reappear behind her attempted captor. She went so fast that it was as if she were a blur. All that was heard was a defeated thump as her opponent collapsed.

More attacked with vengeance and slight fear. Ruby dissolved into rose petals disappearing yet again. The men stopped, confusion sinking into their bodies. One by one, each of them fell, dealt a quick yet effective blow by something they could not see. Pyrrha spotted this from not too far away and stared in complete shock. She couldn't believe what had just happened. She knew Ruby was fast, that was her semblance, but she had no idea she was this fast! It was like she was some kind of ghost, not to be seen by the naked eye.

The only thing that set her off was the emotionless look on Ruby's face, as if she was unconscious throughout all of this. Ruby was anything but emotionless. So why did she look so dead and empty?

* * *

Blake and Yang stood shakily. Both girls were getting tired and it didn't take an idiot to see that all of this fighting was wearing them down. But they weren't the only ones. Roman and Adam looked quite exhausted as well. They knew these girls were just stalling and had tried to take them down, but somehow the battle was drawn out. Both men looked extremely irritated as they tried t find a way to end this quickly.

"What's a traitor of the White Fang doing here?" Adam spurred out in between tired breaths. Roman looked shocked but then smirked. Maybe some faunus aren't as dumb as the others He thought. "Becoming a sorceress, what else would I be doing," Blake answered as she shot a quick side glance towards Yang.

"Blake what is he talking about? You were in the White Fang?" Yang yelled loud enough for them to hear as she remembered the plan.

* * *

_~Flashback~_

_Blake, Yang, and Weiss sat quietly in their room as they waited for their leader. She should have been back by now. Yang, being the overprotective big sister she was, was currently freaking out as she wondered about her sister's whereabouts. The room was filled with a thick silence when suddenly the alarm went off. The girls jumped in surprise as Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora all ran in. "Guys, the school is under attack," Pyrrha exclaimed, "And we can't find Jaune anywhere." Ren suddenly spoke up "And I can see that Ruby isn't here either." The girls nodded in silent worry. "Our best bet is to assume that they're together. For right now we need to think of some kind of plan for the enemy," Blake sighed, closing her book._

_"I don't know why they would come to Beacon though. We don't have anything," Weiss pondered. "Not true. They're looking for Ruby. I heard one of them say it," Nora giggled. Everyone stared at the pink haired girl in shock. "Nora what exactly did they say?" Pyrrha questioned. "They were like 'We need to find that Rose girl and escape before Scarlet can get to us' then they split up on the West wing, near the classes," this caused a nod from Pyrrha. "Now that we know who they want, we need to use some kind of tactic to keep them away from Ruby. I say that we split up. Blake, you and Yang can go and look for the people behind this. Keep them busy. Blake since they don't know that we know you're a former member of the White Fang they might try and use that against you. If they do, Yang you play along until you both attack," the girls nodded with a slight smirk. "Everyone else. Fight any enemy you see. If one of us fall then the other will become back up. Keep them away from Ruby," Pyrrha restated. Everyone nodded until they heard another announcement. "Students prepare to fight. I repeat be prepared to fight." They nodded silently until their missing leaders fell from the duct._

_~End of Flashback~_

* * *

The two girls faked the argument long enough. They gave slight nods toward each other and vanished. Blake attacked Adam with careful agility as Yang sent a powerful punch to Roman. Both men were taken by surprise at the attacks. The blonde and the faunus both smirked as their enemies fell into a state of unconsciousness. "What do you think we should do with them?" Yang asked with her arms crossed as Blake tied up the men. "Well I think that we should bring them in to Ozpin's office for questioning. "Blake sighed, making sure her knots were secure. Both girls looked at each other before grabbing the guys and journeying through the forest.

* * *

Pyrrha continued to held on to the unconscious girl on her back. After a while her eyes had returned to normal, but she collapsed from exhaustion. Pyrrha's eyebrows were furrowed in deep thought. What was going on with Ruby? Why was she acting like this? Whatever happened to Ruby must be what those guys want. The redhead suddenly heard a loud rustling in the bushes and turned around to be faced with….

* * *

**A/N: CLIFFY! D Sorry folks you won't find out until next week. It took me for freaking ever to write this but I'm pretty proud of this chapter! I 3 you all! 3 Until next chapter!**


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